The Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike has taken his opposition against Alhaji Atiku Abubakar beyond normal and this can be an albatross for the candidate of the PDP.
The People’s Democratic Party wants to return to power, which it left in 2015. And the party has presented the ex vice president for Nigerians to vote for. Whereas Nyesom Wike is leading other four aggrieved governors to stab Atiku in the back.
There has been known peace in the opposition party since the primary election. Wike came second behind Atiku, and the former has become aggressive and aggrieved at the same time. In fact he openly works against the party.
Of course, the party has deployed every internal mechanism to resolve the issue. Wike and his colleagues have come up with a list of rather unrealistic demands. And since the collapse of talks, Wike has stepped up his opposition.
The last straw that broke the camel’s back is the refusal to approve the Rivers State stadium to Atiku to use. The ex vice president needs a big open place for the event and the stadium is quiet appropriate.
Initially, the Rivers State government has granted an approval only for it to later withdraw the approval. The Presidential Campaign Council of the PDP has reacted and lamented bitterly. It also accused Nyesom Wike of anti-party activities.
To add salt to the injury, Mr. Wike has approved the same stadium to the All Progressives Congress (APC) to use in the state. This has really annoyed the PDP and its PCC.
The coordinator of Tinubu Campaign in Rivers State, Tony Okocha, has disclosed the development. He didn’t only disclose the approval, he also announced that Wike has waived a sum of N5,000,000 for the rent of the facility.
Mr. Okocha said, Wike in his usual magnanimity has granted the approval of an alternate venue, the Yakubu Gowon Stadium, Elekahia, Port Harcourt, for the presidential campaign rally scheduled to hold on February 15, 2023 absolutely free of charge.”
After a primary election, all party chieftains and loyalists are to queue behind the candidate. But several months after the primary, and just two weeks to the main election, Wike is still battling and drawing back Atiku Abubakar.
The Rivers State governor isn’t a green horn in politics. But the current one he is playing may burn his fingers. He has taken his opposition against Atiku beyond normal.
The intriguing part of it is that Wike has not even anointed any candidate for the election. That means he is fighting a shadow. Atiku may lose eventually, but what does Wike gain?
Follow us on social media
